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Summary

James Brown, known to many as JB, is no stranger to Kansas City. He said he has visited the city many times as a longtime broadcaster on “The NFL Today” on CBS and elsewhere. He knows the Chiefs, obviously, but also local landmarks like the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts and has opinions on barbecue (but also knows enough not to pick a favorite).

U.S. News and World Report released its Best Grad Schools 2025 rankings Tuesday, with several programs in the College of Business and Technology ranked among the nation’s best, along with several of �Ŀ�����’s health sciences programs.

Hoping to offer another unique opportunity for students and further enhance the gameday experience for spectators, �Ŀ����� athletics today announced the addition of pep band to its slate of offerings starting in fall 2026.

Yu Liu, Ph.D., associate professor of chemistry, knows that organic chemistry has a bit of a reputation. It’s an innately difficult subject; a crucible for generations of science majors at Rockhurst. Despite being the face of what many consider Rockhurst’s most difficult class, Liu was named Faculty of the Year by students at the Festival of Student Achievement in April. How does he do it?

�Ŀ����� has been recognized in several categories as among the best in the country by Colleges of Distinction.

Each spring, a handful of students in the University’s criminal justice program are invited to be part of the Innocence Project course. This small group spends their semester reviewing a case where an incarcerated person has raised questions of innocence. Their goal is to review the case and report to the Kansas City-based Midwest Innocence Project whether they believe a case for innocence exists.

Denny Thum, a 1974 graduate of �Ŀ����� who spent 36 years with the Kansas City Chiefs during one of the franchise’s most successful periods, will be honored by his alma mater with the Rashford-Lyon Award for Leadership and Ethics as part of the �Ŀ����� Leadership Series on Wednesday, April 2.

Recommitting itself to its students, staff, faculty and alumni, and redefining its place in higher education, �Ŀ����� has unveiled updated branding and messaging including its new tagline, “Lead with Courage. Live with Purpose.”

Students, faculty, staff and community members alike are invited to take part in a recognition Friday, Jan. 24, of the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.